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It rarely rains on Mars.At least, not often near Chryse. The weather patterns were set long ago, by the first settlers on the planet. Kudelia distantly remembers reading about the terraforming in a school textbook at one point or another. But details about mountain ranges and rain shadows and atmospheric moisture and plenty of other meteorological terms are long forgotten by now. These days, her head is filled more with water import contracts and irrigation lines and economic impact studies along with a host of other necessities she has to deal with to make sure her people are getting their fair share in the wake of independence.It rarely rains on Mars, so that's why Kudelia hardly notices the wisps of clouds gathering overhead as she and Atra walk together through the cornfields of Sakura's farm, heading back home after a long meandering stroll to the edge of the sprawling property.She hardly notices as the clouds darken, hanging full with moisture, because she's listening to Atra speak. Too captivated by the way the words spill out of her mouth, all bright and cheerful. Almost like the Atra she remembers when they first met. When Kudelia was still a naïve, young idealist and Atra was just happy to cook meals for all her friends.It makes Kudelia smile to see Atra like this again. Now, after months and months of mourning, and months and months of adjusting to raising little Akatsuki. Kudelia grieved too, of course, but she was always most afraid that she might never see Atra smile again.Atra is still speaking, enthusiastically sharing the details of a new recipe she's working on, when the first raindrops begin to fall. Like a gentle sprinkle for a moment before shifting straight into a downpour.Startled, Kudelia shrieks and Atra yelps too, and then she grabs Kudelia's hand as she starts running towards shelter, in a vain attempt to keep them dry.There's no shelter in sight, however, except for the farmhouse, which is still much too far in the distance to be of any use to them now. But Kudelia lets Atra drag her along the muddy path anyway, feeling the same kind of exhilaration she did as a child about to get caught for doing something naughty. She imagines her younger self probably would be scolded for the state of her shoes right now.A few minutes later, Atra gives up on running. She hurtles to a stop in the middle of the path under the still-stormy sky, hunched over and breathless for a moment before she starts laughing."Kudelia, it's raining," she says, the words slipping through her giggles. "Our clothes are soaked. My hair is all flat and in my face. Your makeup is running. And your shoes are ruined."Atra keeps laughing, because the odds of being stuck out in a rainstorm on Mars are so slim, it almost feels like a cosmic joke. Kudelia watches Atra tilt her head up to the sky, eyes closed, like she's asking for the rain to keep trashing how they look, to wash everything away until their spirits are both laid bare out here in the middle of these fields.In this moment, with streaks of rainwater running down her face, Atra looks truly beautiful, and Kudelia's breath catches in her throat.She's loved Atra for a long time, but she's only recently beginning to understand that it's not exactly in the same way she loves Tekkaden. Not anymore. She's spent all this time helping her raise little Akatsuki, spent all this time learning more and more about the strong woman Atra is now in the wake of tragedy, spent all this time carving out space away from politics and leadership just so she can have more room for Atra in her life.Kudelia reaches out and gently cradles Atra's face in her hands. Raindrops slip past her fingertips, unable to resist the pull of gravity calling them to the ground.And Kudelia is unable to resist the pull of Atra as she opens her eyes again, gazing sweetly up at Kudelia.She rushes in for a kiss, suddenly feeling like words will never be enough to convey all the feelings for Atra that she carries in her heart. But maybe a kiss – like the one Mikazuki unexpectedly pressed to her own lips so long ago – will be enough to say it all.Kudelia realizes a half second later that maybe it she should have asked permission first, like Mikazuki should have done when he kissed her that time. But then she stops thinking at all once she realizes Atra is kissing her back, reaching her arms around Kudelia to pull her closer.The rain keeps falling, like the two of them aren't even on Mars anymore. This is another world for just Kudelia and Atra."I love you," Kudelia murmurs when they break apart again, still clinging tightly to each other's soggy clothes.Atra smiles and rests her forehead on Kudelia's shoulder. Comfortable and relaxed."I've been waiting for you to figure things out," she replies. "I've loved you for a long time, Kudelia."Kudelia brushes her fingers through the wet strands of Atra's hair. "Sorry to make you wait so long.""It was worth waiting for. All the important things are."Kudelia looks up at the sky, at the gray clouds wringing out the last few drops of rain. Knowing how the climate is on Mars, she's sure all the water will soak into the red soil quickly, hoarded by the thirsty plants in the fields around them as they use nature's unexpected gift today. In a few hours, it probably won't even look like it's rained at all out here.But Kudelia will remember this little storm long after all trace of it fades away.They start walking again back towards the farmhouse in the distance, dripping rainwater from the tips of their hair and the hems of their clothes while the conversation meanders back to earlier topics. Like nothing has changed and everything has changed.It rarely rains on Mars. But when it does, it feels magical.